In this thread, you can find answers to some of the most important Steam cracking-related questions. Feel free to contribute! ([[Please login to see this link.]])

General Questions(^ how to patch Steam, where to get the games, online & offline play, safety questions and more...)

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Q1: Can I play on legit Steam servers with the cracks you provide here?

Generally no, most games can only be played on cracked servers.

However, there are some exceptions (some games can be played on LAN through special tools etc.). If a game can be played online for free, a fix can be found in its designated thread in the Main Forum.

Q2: How do I patch my Steam?

1. Download legit [[Please login to see this link.]]. 2. Install Steam and wait for it to update.3. Create a new account and exit Steam. (WARNING: Never log in with your legit account on cracked Steam!)4. Download a Steam crack. The only working crack at this moment is Steam Master Patch!5. Follow the instructions, in order for the crack to work properly (check your chosen crack's thread for more information).6. Launch your now fully cracked Steam and enjoy playing!

IMPORTANT NOTE: You can NOT download ANY games directly through cracked Steam. To get a particular game's needed files, check out the SCS section of the forums or the game's knowledge thread in the Main Forum (if there is one).

Q3: How can I fix the "Content still encrypted", "Steam servers are too busy", "No subscription/licenses" errors?

There is NO fix for these errors and there likely never will be! These errors are normal. They occur when you're trying to download a game through a cracked Steam client, without you actually owning it.

The previous GCF/NCF format made it possible for some games to be directly downloadable through cracked Steam. However, that format is no longer used and the new SteamPipe (ACF) format does not allow direct downloading for any game without a license. To get a particular game's needed files, check out the SCS section of the forums or the game's knowledge thread in the Main Forum (if there is one).

If you already have the content of the game you want to play and still have this problem, then check your language settings, or see if the game is at 100%, using TINcft. If you wish to know more about the technical side of these errors, please read this thread.

The "content still encrypted" error means that your files are outdated and/or you are missing the game's .manifest files. To fix this error, make sure you have the latest version of the game you are trying to launch.

Q4: Is there a way to play/decrypt/unpack Steam games before their release date?

There is no way to play, decrypt or properly unpack Steam games before their official release date (neither DVD versions, nor preloaded content directly acquired from Steam). For further information, check this thread.

Q5: How can I block Steam from updating?

Method 1: Create a New Text Document in your Steam directory, rename it to Steam.cfg and write "BootStrapperInhibitAll=Enable" (without the quotes) on the first line of the document.Method 2: Use .cue's Patched Steam.exe (WARNING: It's very old, so therefore it may not function properly! For best results, use Method 1.)

As you know, new games are being added on Steam consantly, so it's not easy to keep up with it. Popular new games generally have a specific thread in the Main Forum, while older or less popular ones can be found in the Steam Content Sharing forum. If you would like to request a game to be uploaded, please see this thread.

Q8: I have some Steam games. Is it safe for me to share them with the community?

There is a small risk when uploading .ACF games, which can easily be avoided. Please read this thread for more information.

Other than that, yes, you can, and it's safe! Just post the links in the game's designated thread. Please note that we're accepting mirrors too, not only games that we're missing. Any upload is appreciated! You'll be saving a lot of people's time and effort (and we'll love you for it ).

Q9: Is there any way to open the GCF/NCF/ACF files stored in my SteamApps directory?

You can use the following programs to open GCF/NCF files:WinRAR GCF/NCF Plugin (by syahmixp)GCFExplorer (by SASiO) [[Please login to see this link.]] (by Nemesis)

ACF files are merely text files, they can be opened with any text editor (such as Notepad, Wordpad etc.).

Q10: What is the easiest way to play Steam games offline?

Use a non-Steam version (or "standalone") of the game, you can find recent standalones in the Standalones section of the Main Forum. An alternative would be to use a steam emulator, look here for a collection of emulators and wrappers.

Q11: Are cracked Steam clients safe?

No crack is fully safe. Please DON'T ever use your legit account on cracked Steam! Instead, create a blank Steam account for your cracked Steam games. Your account can and probably will be disabled for not doing so. Use everything you download from here at your own risk.

Q12: Where can I find cracked Steam servers?

The Setti MasterServer offers cracked servers for various Steam games. For more information, visit [[Please login to see this link.]]. Alternatively, [[Please login to see this link.]] also offers a lot of cracked servers for popular Steam games.

Q13: How can I patch my outdated GCFs/NCFs/ACFs?

Since the GCF and NCF formats are now obsolete, if you have a game downloaded that is in either of those two formats, you will have to find a more recent, "ACF" version. You can make and apply updates for ACF games using TINcft.

Q14: How can I fix the "Failed to contact key server" error?

The best known solution would be to use a Steam crack, which permanently removes this error. As an alternative, you may try fixing the error yourself, using the method described in this thread.

Q15: What files do I need exactly to play a certain Steam game?

1.) an .acf file for the game (it should be in Steam/SteamApps)2.) a .manifest file (it should be in Steam/depotcache) [necessary for updates]3.) "common" folder (game's name, it's should be in Steam/SteamApps/common)

Generally, all those files are included when someone uploads a game.

If the .ACF file is missing for some reason, you can also try and make it yourself.

Q16: Can I get banned for using the tools you provide here?

Few people have complained about this and generally you'll be safe if you don't use your legit Steam account, but if you feel safer that way, avoid using our tools, because we cannot guarantee you anything.

Q17: Why can't anyone from the Internet connect to my server?

You need to forward your port. Check [[Please login to see this link.]] for more information. For a LAN solution, we recommend using a third-party program called [[Please login to see this link.]].

What you need to upload:- the needed .acf file(s) (located in <SteamInstallDir>/SteamApps/)- the "common" folder for the game you want to upload (located in <SteamInstallDir>/SteamApps/common) - the .manifest files in the folder "depotcache" (located in the main Steam install dir, NOT SteamApps). To know which .manifest files you need to upload, open the game's ACF file(s) and check the numbers in the bottom right corner of the Depots part. The long number represents the needed .manifest files' filename inside the "depotcache" folder.

How you should upload the game:- Because of the big file size of Steam games, it is recommended that you compress them with WinRAR or a similiar program.- Because most free file hosting services won't allow you to upload big files, you should compress the game files in 100mb parts (check [[Please login to see this link.]] for more information).- Use a file hosting service like RapidShare, Mediafire or any of your choice, as long as the files are downloadable worldwide.- If you decide to use a password, please make sure to mention it after posting the link.- For the easiest way to pack Steam games, use this tool.

Thank you for helping us help you help us all.

Q19: How do I fix the "Application load error (0x03)" error?

You need to download a crack for your game from sites such as [[Please login to see this link.]] or [[Please login to see this link.]]. An alternative solution to the problem is to use RevLoader.

Q20: What are GCFs/NCFs/ACFs?

GCF stands for "Game Cache File", NCF stands for "No Cache File" and ACF files are the newly introduced "Steam Application (AppInfo) Cache Files". These files are used for all games and tools in Steam, and are absolutely required in order for you to play a certain game. These files need to be stored in your SteamApps folder (located in your Steam installation directory).

Please note that in order to play games using NCF or ACF files, you'll also need the "common" folder of the game (normally, it can be found along with the game files, if you downloaded the game from here). ACF games also require ".manifest" files inside your "depotcache" folder (located in the main Steam installation directory, NOT the SteamApps folder) for full file validity.

In the Standalones section of the Main Forum, you can find recent non-Steam versions of Counter-Strike. Or if you prefer playing through Steam, download the needed files from the Steam Content Sharing forum.

Question 2: Where can I get bots for my Counter-Strike game?

Here you can find more information on this. The thread is very old, but basically everything still stays the same.

Question 3: How do I set-up a cracked dedicated server for Counter-Strike?

In the Standalones section of the Main Forum, you can find recent standalones of Counter-Strike: Source. Or if you prefer playing through Steam, download the needed files from the Steam Content Sharing Forum.

Question 2: Where can I get Garry's Mod for free?

Here you can find more information on how to play Garry's Mod through Steam. The tutorial is outdated, and you'll need to find newer cracks and game files, but basically the steps still stay the same. If you need the game files, check the Steam Content Sharing forum (All Source Games thread).

Question 3: Garry's Mod is giving me weird errors such as "unable to shade polygon normals" and "steam DLL isn't worthy of our trust". What should I do?

These "errors" are intentionally put in Garry's Mod, so that people who don't own the game and are playing the pirated version can be detected and dealt with more easily. Please DON'T make threads about these (or if you must, do NOT include your Steam Community ID, the numbers you see after the error message), especially on official Steam forums, as this would increase the chance of your account being disabled! To ensure that those two errors do not bug you, please use a recent Steam crack such as GreenLuma! For more information about such errors, visit the Garry's Mod Support Thread.

Question 4: How can I fix the "This Steam account does not own this game. Please login to the correct Steam account" error?

There is NO fix for this error and there never will be! This error occurs when you are trying to connect to a legit, most likely VAC2 secured server by using a cracked Steam client. Cracked clients don't allow you to play on legit servers, you can only play on cracked servers. Check the general questions for more on cracked servers. For more on the technical side of this error, please visit this thread.

Question 5: Why does the error message "Your map version doesn't match the server's" pop up when I join a certain game?

This problem can be caused by two things. Either one or more of your game files is/are outdated (commonly because you're using a Steam launcher or a standalone; for updates, look in the Steam Content Sharing forum; use CFToolbox for updating your game files) or, the server is still using an older version of the map. If it's the server's fault, just wait. You can also try deleting the problematic map from your 'maps' folder and try to re-download it from the server.

Could you add something about forwarding, like "Why can't anybody connect from the internet to my server?".
There was a good site where it was really good explained how to forward but I'm forgetting the address all the time. I think it was something like portforwarding.com.

EDIT: Maybe you could also add something like this: "Can I get banned using a launcher like SBReV/UCL?"

Sorry, my bad (was to lazy to write it again, copied from my tut on creating standalones, but that can also happen with cracked steam/launcher)

ChrisTX wrote:

Application load error (0x03)This error occurs with some games that check for digital signatures on steam.dll. To resolve this get a No-CD/DVD crack for your game at sites like [[Please login to see this link.]] or [[Please login to see this link.]].

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